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Dead whale washed up in Wigtown Bay Dead whale washed up in Wigtown Bay
(about 7 hours later)
An autopsy is being carried out on a dead whale which washed up on the shore in southern Scotland. A 60-foot whale found washed up on the Solway coast has been buried close to where it died.
Dumfries and Galloway Council staff are helping to deal with the incident at Wigtown Bay, near Carsluith. The carcass of the male Finn Whale was examined by experts from the Scottish Marine Animals Strandings Unit.
The fin whale is estimated to be about 49ft (15m) in length. Investigators took samples to try to establish if was diseased. The mammal was underweight and that may have been why it sought shelter in the shallow water of Wigtown Bay.
In a short statement, the council said the autopsy would be carried out before work began to dispose of the carcass. Investigators said the cause of death was probably drowning.
Dumfries and Galloway Council staff were among those helping to deal with the incident at the bay near Carsluith.